Various ramblings from someone that is usually making something. It might be sewing, knitting, crocheting, card making, quilting, beading, or whatever catches my interest.

October 1, 2007

Starflower chart

Things are busy around here. I'm trying to finish up a few things all at once. The Dancer's Wrap sweater is finished, but still needs to be washed and blocked. I finished a pair of little socks for D in his favorite color-orange. But E's Halloween costume has taken up the most of my time. She's going to be a fairy. The wings are painted and finished drying. Now it's time to work on her outfit. I'm not sewing a dress, but I'm throwing a few fairy looking things together.

Enough of that, lets get to the chart. I wasn't sure how to write out a sock pattern. I'm pretty set in my ways about socks and I'm sure other toes or heels would work with this pattern. Keep in mind that this stitch pattern pulls in. I normally knit my socks 68 stitches around in plain stockinette, but I used 72 stitches around for this socks.

I use a Turkish cast-on (another good tutorial) with 12 wraps around the needles. I increase 4 stitches on every row until there are 40 total stitches. After that, I increase 4 stitches every other row until there are 72 total stitches. Knit two stitches, knit 4 repeats of the chart, knit two stitches, and then knit across the bottom of the sock.*Edited to add: For the 2nd symbol, you hold the cable needle to the front.

Knit that section until the sock is around 1.5 inches shorter than your total foot length. Knit a short row heel. I don't exactly use this method, but this tutorial is excellent.

Then move two stitches from either side of the instep to the back of the sock. I use safety pins to hold them while transferring. Then you can knit the stitch pattern 4 times across the front of the sock and 5 times across the back. Continue until the sock height is to your liking. Then knit in 1x1 ribbing for at least one inch. Cast-off very loosely and weave in the ends.

Notes:

For a smaller sock, you can increase until you have 64 total stitches. Then you can knit 4 repeats on the instep and 4 repeats on the back without having to move stitches around.

I cabled without a cable needle, but it's much easier to write out directions with the cable needle.

Where you have the cable explanations,for the first symbol you do say to hold the stitches on the cable needle to the bck, but for the second symbol you do not state whether the cable needle is held to the back or the front.Can you please state which it is?Thank you!!